To show or not to show in a short

[ramsaur]

Had a few questions about a short I'm doing so answer best you can.

Can you show a film poster anywhere? Is that copyrighted material that needs permission first?

Can you show a book cover? Example this short shows a few books by Dickinsons on a book shelf.

Thanks.

 

[Doc Bernard]

It depends. Is the content covered by copyright outside your control?

Using your example.....I would say the artists that created those bookcovers would be upset if you used their work without permission. Have you done the research to ask?

Let's flip your question around. Would you be happy if someone took screengrabs from your film and publicized them without any compensation to you? Despite the potential for money being made?

Do the research to find out who created the bookcovers.......and reach out to them. You'd be surprised about the generosity of artists, in order to get more exposure.

 

[ramsaur]

I understand, I do a lot of licensing and permission asking. I didn't know about this so I needed to ask the film community. Couldn't find much of anything on Google.

So what about dead people? Dickens is dead.

 

[Sol M.]

So what about dead people? Dickens is dead.

Unless Charlie wrote and bound the book in your film himself, I'd say that you should have a word with the publisher of the book. A similar example, is that while classical music compositions may be public domain, the performance of a piece of classical music is not automatically free to use.

 

[Dan Pears]

So out of curiosity, is this that you'd like these book covers and movie poster to appear essentially as props/set design in your film?

And regarding Jive and Doc's feedback, even this use of these items as props, still would need permission for its use, and not be covered under fair use?

 

[Sol M.]

Turn on MTV and I can practically guarantee that you'll see at least 1 logo blurred out on someone's neon flannel shirt or trucker hat within 5 minutes time. That's the alternative to avoid legal issues that arise from someone who can argue their case of "copyright infringement" against your case for "fair use". Even if your argument were better, you would have wasted a terrible amount of time and money in the process.

I say better to simply ask permission first if you're planning to have certain elements in the shot.

 

[ramsaur]

Thanks guys, that's the answer I was looking for. Needed to double check on that first, but now that's what I figured.